This short Canadian is coming to Zhills this December! :) :) :) EXCITEMENT.

Getting from the airport to Zhills? Less excitement. Does anyone know of any cheap ways to get to and from the drop zone?

Some notes:

I am arriving and departing in the deep of night, so daytime options won't work for me, but please do still suggest them in case they work for someone else!

I already called manifest and asked for a ride. I was directed to a for-hire service that quoted $100 each way. :/ Not super enthusiastic about that.

I have a business account with Enterprise that will allow me to do two one-way rentals for $215, which will ALSO allow me to drop by the Walmart and buy a tent and sleeping bag and swing by Orlando the day after I arrive for some theme park fun. Unless there's a cheaper way into and out of Zhills, I'm leaning towards this option. Because, seriously, Universal Studios!

Any ways to/from Zhills for less than $150 round trip though? (That is the price that would make the option worth it for me, personally, but others may have different standards. I am also considering renting a car for the whole duration....)

About renting a car in Tampa. We did that last year. Some of the agencies have more than one rental location in the city. Renting a car at the airport was more expensive than one from an office that was not at the airport. You might have to have a taxi take you to the car place but if you are renting for a week or more, gettng the daily cost down would help.

You should be able to get a much better price on a car rental. I was there for 3 weeks, 2 years in a row and I rented a car for the entire duration. I paid $208 all in one year for the 3 weeks, and $290 for the next year (3 weeks). I didn't have any special discount and I got it right from the airport. One year was from Alamo, and the next was Entreprise.

I think what's killing you is the one-way dropoff. They discourage that by hiking the price. Just keep the car for the duration and you'll probably pay less. Plus...it's somewhere relatively safe to keep your crap...at least more than a tent it.

The first year I went I was under 25. Second no. I'm pretty sure the second year was more pricey though. I should mention that this was 3 and 4 years ago now.

Do you collect airmiles? If you do, they have $100 gift certificates that can be used towards a car rental and you can double them up on a single rental.

A "free'er" way to do it would be to take a snooze in the airport (wearing your rig of course), and try to arrange with a local to bum a ride out in the morning. I hear they have a bar at the DZ and the person giving you a ride probably likes what the bar sells so.... 2+2=Beer.